Injection molded control panel with in-molded decorated plastic film

ABSTRACT

Provided are systems and methods for a control assembly including: a first film that is in-molded that includes decorative graphics, a front surface and a rear surface; and a second film molded to the rear surface of the first film having a printed circuit that includes sensors, control circuits and interconnects and a front and rear surface.

RELATED APPLICATIONS INFORMATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/495,899, filed Jun. 10, 2011,and entitled “Injection Molded Control Panel with In-Molded DecoratedPlastic Film,” and also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/495,901, filed Jun. 10, 2011,and entitled “Injection Molded Control Panel with In-Molded DecoratedPlastic Film that Includes an Internal Connector,” both of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety as if set forth infull.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The embodiments described herein are related to injection molding and inparticular to methods of reducing the number of separate components andcomplexity of control panel assemblies.

2. Related Art

When injection molding a control panel, an in-molded decorative plasticfilm is often included. The molded control panel with the decorativeplastic film is then assembled to a separate housing, molded console or“techbox” that includes a PCB with switches, lighting, indicators,knobs, slides, displays etc. The control panel also includes theinterconnect wires or circuits, which typically interface with one ormore control boards and to other circuits or circuitry. These boards orcircuits are often housed within the control panel housing, or in aseparate housing.

As a result, there are many potential failure points in a conventionalcontrol panel. For example, the switches, indicators, etc., can fail,the interconnects with the circuit boards can fail, the circuit boardsthemselves can fail, and so on. Such conventional assemblies can also beexpensive to manufacture due to all the different components andinterconnects and associated assembly, especially if the control panelis part of a small product, uniquely shaped product, a product withcomplex controls and indicators, or some combination thereof, etc.

SUMMARY

A simplified control panel assembly that comprises two film layersbonded to either side of an injection molded resin and that vastlyreduces the complexity and cost of, e.g., control assemblies isdisclosed herein.

According to one aspect, an injection molded control panel or componentincludes a first surface in-mold decorated plastic film and a secondfilm molded to the rear surface having a printed circuit, including atleast one of the following, capacitive touch sensors, capacitive touchscreen, printed resistors, proximity sensors, water detect sensor,functional antennas, with surface mounted electronic components such asLEDS, resistors, capacitors, transistors, programmable integratedcircuits and other electronic sensors.

According to another aspect, molten resin is injected in between the 2films completely encapsulating both the second surface decoration on theA side film and the conductive circuit with the mounted components onthe B side of the molded article.

According to still another aspect, the circuit termination forinterconnection remains integral to the circuit yet is made available todirectly plug into a separate control board typically found in devicesthat would use this kind of input device or simply to a power source,should the unit be able to function independently of any other managingdevice. Total encapsulation of these films and the attached components,insures protection from moisture, water immersion, corrosion, dirt andphysical damage, resulting in a significantly more reliable product thanavailable today using prior art.

These and other features, aspects, and embodiments are described belowin the section entitled “Detailed Description.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features, aspects, and embodiments are described in conjunction with theattached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional control panel assemblyin accordance with one embodiment.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an example control panelassembly in accordance with one embodiment.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an example circuit terminationor connector in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for fabricating aninjection molded control panel in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional control panel assembly.For example, this control panel assembly may be the control panel for awashing machine. As such, the assembly can comprise an in-moldeddecorative plastic panel 102 that includes the graphics one wouldnormally see on a washing machine control panel, such as graphic areas104 and 106, which can include wash settings and that include holes inthe middle where knobs can be inserted; graphic area 108 which caninclude on/off, or start/stop indicators and can include a slot or holefor an on off switch or start stop button, etc., and logo area 112 whichcan include a company logo or brand name. Panel 102 can also include adisplay window 110 that can fit over, e.g., and LED or LCD display.

Panel 122 can then fit onto control panel 124 of, e.g., a washingmachine 125. As can be seen, control panel 124 can include the knobs 114and 116, switch 118, and display 120 that correspond to graphics 104,106, and 108 and display window 110. It will be understood that theactual knobs 114 and 116 and switch 118 may be installed after panel 102is in position over control panel 124. Often, a circuit board 122 willbe included within panel 124 along with all of the needed electronicsand interconnects needed to control washing machine 125.

But as noted, this type of assembly creates several possible faultareas.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a control panel assembly 200in accordance with one embodiment. As can be seen in FIG. 2A, theassembly can comprise an in-molded decorative plastic panel 202 thatincludes graphic areas 204 and 206, which can include wash settings andthat include LED windows; graphic area 208 which can include on off, orstart stop indicators, other indicator or control input graphics 210,buttons 213 that may not necessarily be limited to just buttons and canbe any user interface which responds to user input, and logo area 212which can include a company logo or brand name. Panel 202 can alsoinclude a display window 210 that can fit over, e.g., and LED or LCDdisplay. It should be noted that in some embodiments, decorative film202 may in fact have no graphics or decoration thereon.

But the assembly can also comprise a second film 214 molded to the rearsurface having a printed circuit, including at least one of capacitivetouch sensors, proximity sensors, water detect sensor, functionalantennas, with surface mounted electronic components such as LEDS,resistors, capacitors, transistors, programmable integrated circuits andother electronic sensors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, film214 can include touch sensor assemblies 216 and 218, which can alsoinclude LED indicators that light up to indicate a particular settingselection, a touch sensor 220 for making an on off selection, andcapacitive touch sensors 222. Film 214 can also include display 224 andsingle connector 228. In addition, film 214 can include controlcircuits, such as integrated circuit 226, which can control theoperation of sensors, as well as printed interconnects between thevarious components. Integrated circuit 226 can be one of a number ofdifferent products available depending on the application. For example,Cypress makes a control chip that can be used in certain embodiments.

The chip manufacture will often provide design guidelines specifying amaximum length on the sensor trace circuits. Exceeding theserecommendations may result in poor or erratic performance. Having thechip 226 on the sensor circuit in close proximity to the sensorsthemselves will achieve optimal performance vs. locating the chip on aseparate PWB (Printed Wiring Board) or FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit).

Capacitive touch sensors 222 can include any of the following: adiscrete 1 position sensor that includes at least 1 sensor or there maybe many or any combination of the following: (touch, proximity, slider,wheel, temp, pressure, etc) or a touch screen or panel that may beeither transparent or opaque depending on the application and may be ofany size. Capacitive touch sensors 222 can also interface with buttons213, and buttons 213 can provide any type of user interface, not justbuttons, so that user input and actions executed on buttons 213 (e.g.,pressing, pushing, sliding) will be registered by the capacitive touchsensors 222. A touch screen may be included with any number of sensorsof any type physically able to be mounted and fit in the desiredgeometry of the finished design.

Film 214 can also include display 224, or in certain embodiments, awindow that would go over a display.

As a result, a single connector 228 can be used to interface theassembly 200 with further control circuits or electronics. The singleconnector 228 is described in more detail below.

The two films 202 and 214 can then be encapsulated with resin betweenthem and then mounted to a plastic housing or console so that theassembly can then be installed, e.g., onto a washing machine. This isillustrated in the side view of FIG. 2B which illustrates that films 202and 214 can be sandwiched around a resin layer 230 and then be attachedto a separate molded console or housing component. This results in avery thin sturdy assembly with fewer potential failure points than aconventional assembly. Such a construction can eliminate the controlboard 122 included in a conventional assembly, reduce costs, eliminatefailures, and allow for easier assembly.

It will be understood that an injection molding tool can be used toinject the resin layer 230 between layers 202 and 214. Conventionally,this would be done at an edge of the assembly; however, this can leavean area at the edge of the part where the resin is injected that needsto be trimmed, which adds costs and time. Moreover, edge injection isnot as robust and can actually create problems because it tends tostretch, distort and in some cases destroy the films, due in part to thefact that the resin is being injected at a single point along the edge.

Thus, in certain embodiments, an injection molded tool can be configuredto inject the resin at points internal to the assembly. Thus, holes canbe precut in, e.g. film 214. Injection gates can then be configured inthe tool that line up with the precut holes and that allow the resin tonot only be injected through the holes, but also allow injection througheach hole/pin to be individually controlled. This eliminates edgecutting, is more robust, allows more control and uniform injection thatavoids the problems of edge injection, etc.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an internal connector that can be included inassembly 200. In a conventional process, the connector is often broughtout from the edge of the assembly. This is because in the case of anover molded decorated film the connector is typically printed on therear surface of the decorated first film and cannot be cut out forrelease after molding as it would result in damage to the finisheddecorated surface resulting in an unacceptable finished component. Inthe case of a back-molded decorated film the connection tail iscompletely encased in resin, and cannot be accessed for any purpose asit has to protrude from the finished molded part so that it is notencapsulated by the resin. As a result, in a conventional assembly theconnector must extend from the edge of the film.

But as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in the embodiments describedherein, the connector 228 can be internal to film 214. This isaccomplished by selectively printing the thermal binder everywhere onthe rear surface of the circuit film except the face of the connectortail desired to protrude from the finished part after molding. Connector228 can then be precut in film 214 and remain connected via a perforatedconnection 302 around the perimeter of connector 228. In this mannerconnector 228 will not be affected, deformed or damaged by the moldingprocess, i.e., high heat, pressure, etc.

After the assembly is molded, the perforated connection points from theperforated connection 302 can be cut, allowing the tail of the connector228 to be separated from the molded resin such that it can be assembled,e.g., connected to the control board of a washing machine.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example method for injection molding as controlpanel in accordance with an embodiment. In step 402, the first film isprinted, formed (forming optional), trimmed, and a decorativeapplication is applied to the first film. The first film can be placedon the top or bottom of the second film in the finished panel. In step404, the second film is printed, formed (forming optional), trimmed, anda printed circuit frame 215 is placed on the second film in order tomake the printed circuit functional eventually. The second film can beplaced on the top or bottom of the first film in the finished panel.

In step 406, the components are mounted to the printed circuit (thesecond film) in the printed circuit frame 215, and the printed circuitis programmed and then tested. In step 408, the first and second filmsare placed on opposite sides of the mold using robotics and then themolding resin is injected between the 2 films. In one embodiment, thefirst and second films are placed on opposite sides of the injectionmold, one film in the cavity and one film in the core so that the resincan be injected between the two films. In step 410, the completedfinished panel is inspected, masked, tested and packaged for shipment.

Relevant graphic film print methods include silkscreen, offset, flexo,gravure or digital using any combination thereof (either sheet or rollto roll), circuit film print methods include silkscreen, flexo, gravureusing any combination thereof (either sheet or roll to roll), formingmethods include hydroform, high pressure forming, thermoforming,trimming methods include using either 2D or 3D trim tools, lasercutting, or digital knife methods; component mounting methods includeconventional mounting for PCB or FPC; and molding details includecutting holes in circuit layer and shooting resin through holes directlyinto decorative layer pinning both films to the core of the tool (step409).

Circuit print details of the circuit may include: C1 (Circuit Layer 1):conductive silver ink is deposited onto a 7 mil (could be other gauges)stabilized or unstabilized PET substrate or other suitable substrate forthe application. In one embodiment, the decoration film 1st surface mayinclude anti-microbial properties or other special features such asanti-scratch hard-coat or mar resistant coating, as well as commonlyknow texture treatments of finishes. In addition to known plastic films,other common materials may be in-molded as well such as wood veneer,flocked products, leather, and fabrics such as denim and pseudo suedesynthetic imitations. C2: applying (steady state) dielectric bridges ifa crossover circuit is required; C3: applying conductive silver bridges;C4: applying carbon resistor pads and conductor tips; C5: printingentire circuit area (except for circuit interconnect tips) with adi-electric coating; C6: printing entire circuit area (except forcircuit interconnect tips and the tail area adjacent to the tips makingup the free connector tail) with a molding binder resin; TouchScreenprint details (1 of the typical methods); C1: applying PDOT conductivepolymer onto a 7 mil stabilized PET substrate; C2: Print Silver circuitpattern 1 (which instead of or in addition to may be a Flexible PrintedCircuit or FPC); C3 applying dielectric bridges if a crossover circuitis required; C4 applying Silver circuit pattern 2; C5: applying carbonresistor pads and conductor tips; C6: Print entire circuit area (exceptfor circuit tips) with a dielectric coating; C7: Print entire circuitarea (except for circuit tips and the area adjacent to the tips makingup the free connector tail) with a molding binder resin.

Circuit print details can also include conductive silver ink depositedonto a PET substrate or other suitable substrate for a particularapplication. In one embodiment, the decoration film surface includesanti-microbial properties or other special features such as anti-scratchhard-coat or mar resistant coating, as well as commonly know texturetreatments of finishes. In addition to known plastic films, other commonmaterials can be in-molded as well such as wood veneer, flockedproducts, leather, and fabrics such as denim and pseudo suede syntheticimitations. Dielectric bridges can be applied if a crossover circuit isrequired; conductive silver bridges can be applied; carbon resistor padsand conductor tips can be applied; the entire circuit area (except forcircuit tips) can be printed with a di-electric coating; and the entirecircuit area (except for circuit tips and the area adjacent to the tipsmaking up the free connector tail) can be printed with a molding binderresin; TouchScreen print details can include, for example, applying PDOTconductive polymer onto a stabilized PET substrate; applying dielectricbridges if a crossover circuit is required; applying PDOT conductivepolymer bridges; applying carbon resistor pads and conductor tips; Printentire circuit area (except for circuit tips) with a dielectric coating;Print entire circuit area (except for circuit tips and the area adjacentto the tips making up the free connector tail) with a molding binderresin.

In one embodiment, the creation of in-molded elements without elementssticking out, abutting or otherwise disturbing the compact packaging ofthe finished panel is provided. In one embodiment, seamless molding ofcompact packages of components that conserve resources and manufacturingmaterials is provided.

In one embodiment, the component mounting process includes the steps of(and the order is not limited to the steps disclosed): applyingconductive silver epoxy aligned to component mounting pads; dispensing aglue at every component location to insure a solid bond with the film;placing components either manually or using conventional pick and placeequipment (automated robotic placement); and curing conductive epoxy andglue at manufacturer's recommended time and temperature if required.

In one embodiment, an injection molded control panel or component with afirst surface in-molded decorated plastic film and a second film moldedto the rear surface having a printed circuit, including capacitive touchsensors, capacitive touch screen, camera lens's or miniature cameras,proximty sensors, water detect sensors, functional antennas, withsurface mounted electronic components such as LEDS, resistors,capacitors, transistors, seven segment or similar type displays,programmable integrated circuits and other electronic sensors.

In one embodiment, molten resin is injected in between two filmscompletely encapsulating both the second surface decoration on the Aside film and the conductive circuit with the mounted components on theB side of the molded article. A unique feature is then the way thecircuit termination for interconnection remains integral to the circuityet is made available to directly plug into a separate control boardthat is typically found in devices that would use this kind of inputdevice or simply to a power source, should the unit be able to functionindependently of any other managing device. Total encapsulation of thesefilms and the attached components insures protection from moisture,water immersion, corrosion, dirt and physical damage—thereby resultingin a significantly more reliable and structurally stronger product thanis available today under the prior art.

Specific features include a unique method to connect the in-moldedcircuit directly to an external interface or connection point that isalso designed to encapsulate all the electronics protecting them fromany and all environmental impacts. This method cannot be achieved usinga single film construction. This is the most advantageous and robusttype of connection that could be made having a high degree ofreliability and a very low probability of errors due to the simplesingle level direct connection with no intermediary connections thatcould double or triple the chance of a failure. Having the chip integralto the circuit means that regardless of the number of circuits needingto be controlled there will in most applications only ever be 5 tracesto connect and transmit the already converted digital signal.

The embodiments described herein provide protection from contaminationor moisture that may degrade and corrode the circuitry and electroniccomponents over time that would normally result from exposure to theenvironment. A desirable characteristic for any device, but essentialfor many products and applications including appliances, automotivecomponents, commercial and residential lighting and control, medicalequipment and devices (long life and easily disinfected and sterilizewithout risk to electronics or the graphic interface), office equipment(copiers, fax machines, telephones), products designed for outdoorenvironments (gas station pumps, kiosks/teller machines, parking lotticket machines, vending machines), exercise equipment (that are easilydisinfected), manufacturing (controls operating in harsh environments),military applications and aerospace to name a few.

The embodiments described herein also provide a significant cost savingover conventional and alternative methods typically used in today'sproducts. Embodiments consist mostly of a face panel (with or withoutIMD—or In-moulded Decoration) with the electronic components includingmechanical switches, LED's, 7 segment displays, light guides, resistors,capacitors, and so on—all mounted to a PWB which in turn is mountedinside an injection molded housing (box) with molded features designedto activate the mechanical switches and direct light from the LED's.

The embodiments described herein also provide for a much thinner formfactor than is available today using conventional technology (typically2-5 mm total thickness with 3-4 mm being a preferred dimension versusconventional dimensions, which can be up to 1″ thick or more).Embodiments can include a face panel but requires an additional Box(tech box) that can typically be an additional 0.500″ to 1.00″ thick.

Current processes of the present disclosure also may result in a thinprofile flat panel that is difficult to achieve with a single sided filmconstruction. This process combines numerous electronic components intoa single decorated, now electrically functional molded panel. The fullyintegrated panel provides the functionality of what now requiresmultiple components (populated PWB, molded plastic components and wiringharness with multiple connectors, LED lighting, lightguides/diffusers/reflectors).

Integrated ICs can also be a component of the circuit and can also bemolded in the panel. There are numerous benefits to having thisprogrammable IC molded into the part and be as close as possible to thesensors.

First, in capacitive touch switch applications where the chip is beingused to sense and communicate a switching event, it is imperative thatthe chip be as physically close to the sensors as possible and cannotexceed specified trace lengths. The reason for this is that excessiverun lengths are susceptible to electronic noise, interference, and falsetouches, or unrecognized touches which results in an unreliableswitching/control device. Should the IC need to be mounted on a remotePWB or FPC the signal (analog prior reaching the IC) is needlesslyexposed to outside influences which can confuse or destroy the originalsignal before it has a chance to be converted into a much more reliablesignal.

Second, another benefit is that once the chip has sensed “a touch”, thesignal is converted from analog to digital and then transmitted on tothe device or master controller as a digital signal. It is beneficial toconvert the signal at the earliest opportunity in the process so as toeliminate the possibility that electrical noise or other interferencemay have a detrimental effect on the communication or trigger a falseswitch signal or no signal at all.

Third, embedding the IC into the molded resin at 450° F. insures thecomponent will never be affected by harsh or detrimental environmentdamage such as moisture or corrosive vapors typically found in operatingenvironments of appliances, automobiles, military equipment or anythingthat is subjected to weather or harsh manufacturing environments. Thecircuit and components being encapsulated are protected from physicaldamage as well.

Fourth, having the chip molded in the circuit eliminates the need to runa trace out for every circuit built into the panel (which is what youhave to do if the IC is mounted on another FPC or PWB)—thereby keepingthe number of traces on the connection tail to a total of 5 regardlessof the number of switches or LEDs in the circuit. This is a standardfeature of the PSOC chip made by Cypress technologies. A circuit withoutthis chip in-molded that was controlling 10 sensors and 10 LEDs wouldrequire at least 25 leads (versus the 5 required in the design of thepresent disclosure). More leads require larger and more expensiveconnectors and have a much higher probability for failure than a 5 leadinterconnect.

Fifth, fewer components means fewer potential possibilities for failure.

Sixth, molding the film circuit containing the various componentseliminates the need for the end user to manage, procure, and assemblethe many components that are now all rolled into one functional devicethat literally occupies no more space than was previously dedicated tothe In-Molded decorated control panel itself. This will open upopportunities for designs, geometries and form factors previouslydifficult to conceive.

Seventh, and finally, the embedding of the integrated circuit allows theHMI (Human Machine Interface) to be remote from the CPU or mastercontrol allowing it to be potentially a much smaller package than itwould otherwise have to be depending on what the device or unit is.

There are also a number of benefits that accompany the two filmconstruction. First, panels stay flat. In this relatively thin geometrywhich is typical for control panel applications and mandatory forapplications using capacitive touch sensors, having a film layer on boththe front and a rear surface of the finished molded panel results in anextremely flat part where as in a typical single film constructionpanel, flatness is difficult to achieve due to the uneven shrink ratesof the molding resins and the film. Flat panels are preferred by the enduser as warped panels are extremely difficult to assemble and hold inplace—often requiring special adhesives which add cost in materials andlabor. Flat panels offer significant benefits in the way of long termperformance, ease of assembly and cost savings.

Second, the construction of having a film layer on both sides of thefinished molded resin makes for a much stronger finished component thatwill have a much higher impact resistance and be less prone to physicaldamage or failure, in the event it is dropped or stressed in someextreme condition.

Third, with a film layer on both sides of the panel, the panel will beless prone to expansion and contraction issues that are commonlyexperienced with temperature extremes. Having a more stable plasticcomponent is a desirable feature and less prone to failures that can becaused by the expansion and contraction of a plastic component withtemperature change.

Fourth, part size remains more consistent in the molding process withthe two-film construction and as a result, a slight variation in themolding process does not result in any significant dimensional change inthe part that may be experienced in a single or no film typeconstruction.

A number of weight and space savings also occur with the design of thepresent disclosure. For instance, having all the components that thepresent disclosure either replaces eliminates or integrates into themolded part results in a significant weight and space reduction ascompared to what is typically required. A membrane circuit printed on aPET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) film weighs significantly less than aPCB with mechanical switches, wire harnesses, connectors and the moldedplastic components required to house the PCB and actuate the mechanicalswitches. With transportation costs skyrocketing this is more importantthan ever.

A number of tooling cost and engineering expense savings, durabilityfeatures, and environmental benefits also accompany the design of thepresent disclosure. The present disclosure has environmental advantagesas compared to the use of conventional printed circuit boards thattypically contain copper traces and lead (e.g., solder for mounting thecomponents). The manufacturing method of making PCBs and FPCs is asubtractive process that uses corrosive acid etchants and otherenvironmentally unfriendly chemicals which must be disposed of in theprocess. The printing of silver traces is also an additive process anddoes not generate hazardous waste.

Furthermore, the embodiments described herein enjoy the use of provenand reliable technology in the way of a printed silver circuit that hasbeen used in the manufacture of membrane switches for many years,following the technology to surface mount electronic components using aconductive silver epoxy.

In certain embodiments, combining the decoration layer, sensors andelectronic components into a single molded component now makes itpossible to provide a thin-profile, fully-functional panel that untilnow has required, in addition to the non functional decorated panel, acircuit board and/or a FPC, associated electronic SM components, LEDs,light guides, light pipes, molded switch housings, molded switchactuators, light blocking baffles and the handling and assembly of allthese individual components into a single unit. Now all of thesecomponents are contained in and occupy the space of what was just thedecorated component itself.

The embodiments described herein provide a reliable and durable longlife control panel for appliance, automotive, aerospace, electronic,industrial, medical and consumer products. The embodiments describedherein also integrates and combines numerous features into a single,highly-decorated functional panel, containing graphics and molded-incircuitry including capacitive switch technology (printed sensors),associated circuits, electronic components, LEDS, and light guidefeatures. The embodiments described herein also resolves and remediesexisting problems such as electronic circuits being susceptible tocorrosion and damage when exposed to highly corrosive and hostileenvironments. Furthermore, the existing art has not provided a means fora clean/uninterrupted cost effective connection/interface from themolded/encapsulated circuitry to associated external control boards. Norhas the existing art provided a means for making a thin wall 3-4 mmperfectly flat. The conventional methods must actually mount a PSOCchip, for example, after a connection to the sensor circuit which is notrecommended or desirable from a performance and reliability perspective.

Furthermore, silver printed membrane circuits are subject to failure(silver migration that causes shorting between circuits) when used inhigh humidity environments and exposed to moisture. This method of fullyencapsulating the silver traces in plastic protects the circuitry frommoisture and this commonly known failure mode. Also, conventionalapplications using capacitive touch membranes that don't employin-molding rely on an adhesive system (PSA, epoxy, urethane, orradiation curable) to adhere the sensor circuit (typically a FPC) to therear surface of a pre-molded or otherwise prefabricated control panel.This extra step of adhering the membrane to the panel is not only timeconsuming and costly, but involves the use of expensive adhesives aswell as time to apply these adhesives to the FPCs prior to application.Other applications involve the use of PWB that typically must beassembled in plastic housings and then attached as a complete assemblyto the decorated panel, usually by snaps, screws, or other securinghardware, all labor intensive and costly in comparison to the presentdisclosure.

The conventional assemblies or known prior art also experiences theproblems of having a circuit interface that is problematic, clumsy, andrequiring complicated secondary and additional operations to install,implement, or manufacture. Existing circuit interfaces involve anadditional connection point which is eliminated in this new art, whichprovides for a continuous uninterrupted circuit that connects directlyto the interface point.

In conventional assemblies, circuitry and mounted components are alsoexposed to environment and potentially damaging moisture and corrosiveelements in some applications. Unless these circuits have beenconformably coated (at additional cost) they are subject todeterioration and failure. Furthermore, circuits mounted as a secondaryoperation incur additional cost in adhesive and labor expenses to apply.Alignment can be difficult and tedious.

Conventional assemblies generally are designed around a single filmsubstrate that contains both the decoration layer and the capacitivesensing circuitry. In other constructions, the decoration film islaminated to the circuit sensing layer prior to molding. Thisconstruction is subject to delamination and failure. This constructionis also not suitable for surface mounting of electrical components sinceafter molding it would show a witness on the first surface userinterface. Apparently the conventional thinking was that a single layerconstruction provided a cost benefit vs. a two layer In-Moulded process,or it was not know that it was possible to mold a thin wall panel andcontain the plastic resin between a front and rear film layeressentially encapsulating both the decorated surface and the circuitsurface with molten plastic which provide permanent protection foressentially a lifetime.

In summary, certain benefits of the present disclosure include: a thinprofile, durable, light-weight, a long-life due to encapsulation of allcritical components, a unique interface/connection as a strongdesign/method, simplicity, cost benefits and significant cost savings,design benefits such as a much smaller or thinner package than existingtechnologies which integrates numerous components of prior art into asingle functional panel, integrated enhanced lighting, touch switching(capacitive touch sensing), proximity sensing, switch tuning withrespect to a 1-5 mm panel thickness, lighting control including On/Off,Dimming, scene programming, timing, light sequencing, integration ofother various kinds of sensors such as temperature and pressure, moldinga sensor so that a PSOC can process and transmit the digital data, touchscreen control, slider control, wheel control, water detection, knobsimulation (similar to wheel function to simulate the function of a realknob), and more.

Applications of the present disclosure also include: all human-machineinterface applications, being beneficial for applications in anyenvironment that is detrimental to electronic controls such as spacontrols, washing machines, dish washers, fish finders, automotive testequipment, etc., appliance Control panels such as washers, dryers,dishwashers, blenders, toasters; automotive or “center stack consoles”that house switching and lighting functions, medical equipment which hasa clean smooth surface that is easily cleaned and disinfected, marineelectronic controls and devices including waterproof light fixtures,underwater lighting and lighting control impervious to salt atmosphere,handheld devices subject to daily exposure to harsh environments,commercial appliances such as coffee makers, soda dispensers, and othercommercial equipment found in restaurants or cafeterias, consumerelectronic devices subject to heavy use and potentially harshenvironments: TV's, Stereos, consumer toys where durability and sealedelectronics are important for safety reasons with small children,commercial and consumer lighting controls, commercial and consumer HVACcontrols, manufacturing controls used in harsh environments and/orrequiring a thin profile or geometry, remote controls, Automotive“badging” molded in the shape of the cars logo or name with coloredtransparent areas that light up including special effects scenesprogrammed in the chip molded in the badge (e.g., runs on standard 12Volt systems in a car), automotive badging as described above that isalso a functional switch, such as the badge on the rear of a vehiclethat is also a functional touch switch that in addition to beingilluminated, could for instance open the trunk when the logo is touched(activating an electric latch release)—the intelligence in the chipmakes it possible to ignore false activation or have the ability torequire a certain type of touch or multi touch in order to activate, orthe badge could simply be an “illuminate only” molded part, that simplylights up with the supply of voltage as any standard automotive markerlight. Further applications include: signage, with animation and builtin lighting control, and switching (On/Off and different operationalmodes or Stand-Alone with power only once programmed and which can bere-programmed at will), Point of sale terminals, ATM's, parking lotterminals, parking meters, entry keypads used in security systems, andintercom terminals.

Versions of the technology and methods/processes to make the technologyinclude: in-molded decorated film (could be film only not decorated),in-molded circuit (any method used today to make a flexible filmcircuit, printed silver circuit on film, copper circuit on film, andproduced via any known method), ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) on film, PDOT(Polydioctyl-bithiophene) or any other conductive polymer typically usedor suitable for this application, film gauge range typically 3-30 mil,in-molded capacitive switches (printed sensors or touch screen),in-molded LED lighting, in-molded light guide features to control anddirect molded in LEDs, which can be printed or molded features withinpanel designed to direct and/or block light, in-molded electroniccomponents, including any printable component such as resistors, OLEDs,capacitors, transistors, in-molded touch screen sensors (transparent oropaque), in-molded antennas integrated with the circuit (Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, RF, RFID, etc), in-molded component sensors (e.g., Cypress),in-molded camera lenses. So in summary what we really have is a moldedplastic panel with the first surface being a decorated film (although itcould be clear without graphics) with the second surface being a filmcircuit typically with surface mounted electronic components. After thatit could be all of the above in its most complex version or anycombination of the described options or any single one of the describeditems.

A brief description of the Process Outline includes the steps of (notlimited to any order): Printing the second surface, form, trim,decorative application (1st surface of finished panel); Printing the 1stsurface, form, trim, functional circuit (2nd surface of finished panel);mount components to printed circuit, program and test; place films inmold using robotics and in inject molding resin; inspect, mask, test andpackage for shipment.

Circuit print details of the circuit may also include: C1 (Circuit Layer1): conductive silver ink is deposited onto a 7 mil stabilized PETsubstrate or other suitable substrate for the application. In oneembodiment, the decoration film on the 1st surface may includeanti-microbial properties or other special features such as anti-scratchhard-coat or mar-resistant coating, as well as commonly know texturetreatments of finishes. In addition to known plastic films, other commonmaterials may be in-molded as well, such as wood veneer, flockedproducts, leather, and fabrics such as denim and seudo suede syntheticimitations. C2: applying (steady state) dielectric bridges if acrossover circuit is required; C3: applying conductive silver bridges;C4: applying carbon resistor pads and conductor tips; C5: printingentire circuit area (except for circuit tips) with a di-electriccoating; C6: printing entire circuit area (except for circuit tips andthe area adjacent to the tips making up the free connector tail) with amolding binder resin; TouchScreen print details (1 of the typicalmethods); C1: Revise print layers per previous edit applying PDOTconductive polymer onto a 7 mil stabilized PET substrate; C2: applyingdielectric bridges if a crossover circuit is required; C3: applying PDOTconductive polymer bridges; C4: applying carbon resistor pads andconductor tips; C5: Print entire circuit area (except for circuit tips)with a dielectric coating; C6: Print entire circuit area (except forcircuit tips and the area adjacent to the tips making up the freeconnector tail) with a molding binder resin.

While certain embodiments have been described above, it will beunderstood that the embodiments described are by way of example only.Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein should not belimited based on the described embodiments. Rather, the systems andmethods described herein should only be limited in light of the claimsthat follow when taken in conjunction with the above description andaccompanying drawings.

What is claimed:
 1. A method comprising: printing a first film andforming, trimming and applying decorative graphics to the first film;printing a second film and forming, trimming and placing a printedcircuit frame on the second film; mounting components of a printedcircuit into the printed circuit frame and programming and testing theprinted circuit on the second film; placing the first and second filmtogether in a mold and injecting the mold with molding resin between thefilms to form a resin core; and inspecting the finished panel andpackaging and shipping the finished panel once it has been tested,wherein mounting components of a printed circuit into the printedcircuit frame and programming and testing the printed circuit on thesecond film further comprises: applying conductive silver epoxy alignedto component mounting pads; dispensing glue at every component locationto insure solid bonding with the second film; placing components eithermanually or using conventional automated pick-and-place roboticplacement equipment; and curing conductive epoxy and glue at amanufacturer's recommended time and temperature if required.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a process used to print the first and secondfilm and to mount the printed circuit to the second film comprisessilkscreen, offset, flaxo, digital, gravure, sheet methods, roll to rollmethods, and any combination of the listed.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein a process used to form the first and second film compriseshydroform, high pressure forming, thermoforming, trimming using 2D or 3Dtrim tools, laser cutting, digital knife methods.
 4. The method of claim1, wherein the process used to mount the printed circuit on the secondfilm include PCB mounting methods, FPC mounting methods and adhesion. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein printing the first film and forming,trimming and applying a decorative application to the first film furthercomprises: depositing a film substance, the film substance comprisingplastic, wood veneer, flocked products, leather, denim, pseudo suedesynthetic imitations; depositing a decoration film substance, thedecoration film substance comprising plastic, wood veneer, flockedproducts, leather, denim pseudo suede synthetic imitations, metal,anti-microbial materials, anti-scratch hard-coat materials,mar-resistant coated materials, and texture treatments of finishes. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein printing a second film and forming,trimming and placing a printed circuit frame on the second film furthercomprises: depositing a film substance, the film substance comprisingplastic, wood veneer, flocked products, leather, denim, pseudo suedesynthetic imitations.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein placing thefirst and second film together in a mold and injecting the mold withmolding resin further comprises: cutting holes in the printed circuit ofthe second film; and shooting resin through the cut holes.
 8. The methodof claim 1, wherein the first and second film comprises: in-moldeddecorated film, in-molded flexible film circuits, printed silvercircuits, printed copper circuits, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), andPolydioctyl-bithiophene (PDOT).
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein thecomponents to be mounted comprise: in-mold capacitive switches, printedsensors, transparent or opaque touch-screen sensors, in-mold LEDlighting, in-mold light guides to control and direct molded in LEDs,in-molded and normally printed: resistors, OLEDs, capacitors,transistors, antennas integrated with the printed circuit, componentsensors, and camera lenses.